Puppy Raisers

Meghan Denzel and Joaquin

Joaquin was born in September 1999 and was placed with Meghan Denzel in November 1999. Meghan was a new puppy raiser, but not new to CCI. She worked as a nurse in the Santa Clara County Valley Medical Center's Burn Unit. There she witnessed the little miracles Facility Dog Tait worked with her patients. He could take away fear and pain just by his presence and make the staff's work easier when they needed to handle these sensitive patients. When Meghan left the hospital to spend more time with her young daughters, she still wanted to be involved in some type of community service that would still enable her to be home with her children.

.She decided to become a puppy raiser for CCI. Besides helping train a dog who like Tait could bring a better quality of life to a person with a disability, Meghan felt it would be a valuable learning experience for her daughters. Although it may be difficult for the girls to give Joaquin back to CCI, she wanted them to feel the satisfaction of giving something of themselves to someone who needs Joaquin more than they do. Raising a CCI puppy is a gift of love.

Joaquin has been a laid back pup from the beginning. He is very mellow, sweet, and learns quickly. He is great ambassador for CCI. He attended a luncheon with over 900 people at the Fairmont when he was just six months old and impressed everyone with his good behavior. Joaquin tolerated wearing bunny ears in an Easter parade and attracted people to the CCI booth at health fairs at Agilent, Lockheed and Quantum.

Joaquin also spends some time with another puppy raiser, Jill Leipelt, who is a first grade teacher. When he is with her, he spends the day in the classroom with her students. Joaquin celebrated his first birthday with Jill's class.

Joaquin will be turned in to CCI at NW's February graduation and will begin the next stage of his development--Advanced Training

Some people wait a lifetime for a miracle...

We raise them one at a time.

Meghan Denzel and Joaquin